Varroa checks

[greenmeaney]

Whent through hives today as most of this year for me very few mites on inspection boards,but a lot of drone brood so I thought cut some out and inspect larvae as would not affect forragers also easy to spot mites on nice white larvae. 200 cells from each hive one had 5 mites one none and third again none is this a good way of inspecting or not just that you are not killing the workers and the black birds love the free meal.

 

[B+.]

Whent through hives today as most of this year for me very few mites on inspection boards,but a lot of drone brood so I thought cut some out and inspect larvae as would not affect forragers also easy to spot mites on nice white larvae. 200 cells from each hive one had 5 mites one none and third again none is this a good way of inspecting or not just that you are not killing the workers and the black birds love the free meal.

No.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

you are not killing the workers

But you are killing the drones that are needed for successful queen matings. And really, you have achieved nothing as you still have no idea of the colony mite load

 

[greenmeaney]

All hives have mated queens from this year all laying well. so do not need drones for mating and I'm pretty sure that I read that freezing drone comb was a way to control varroa, and alcohol wash of adult bees would be the same for mite load if same numbers used was the same. Is it not abit late to be requeening with virgins except in an emergency?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I'm pretty sure that I read that freezing drone comb was a way to control varroa,

You may have read it, doesn't mean it's true. The drone culling method has been proven to be totally ineffective and has little impact on the mite population.

and alcohol wash of adult bees would be the same for mite load

Alcohol wash is just a way of gauging mite population - but it kills the sampled bees, you are better off researching sugar roll method.

 

[drex]

I don't think the OP is drone culling. They are surveying a sample of drone brood and counting the varroa they find. It is a method I sometimes use. No reason why it should be any less accurate than an alcohol wash or sugar roll. One is counting the total number of varroa on a given number of adult bees, the other the total number on a given number of drone brood. The numbers will be different but accuracy the same. I think Jamie Ellis talked about this in one of his lectures

 

[greenmeaney]

I don't think the OP is drone culling. They are surveying a sample of drone brood and counting the varroa they find. It is a method I sometimes use. No reason why it should be any less accurate than an alcohol wash or sugar roll. One is counting the total number of varroa on a given number of adult bees, the other the total number on a given number of drone brood. The numbers will be different but accuracy the same. I think Jamie Ellis talked about this in one of his lectures

you have said what I ment better than I

 

[user 819]

A sample of 3 drones is very far to come to any conclusion bar the fact one cell had 5 mites in it. Best to carry out a sample test of a cup full of bees on brood frames using a sugar roll method and then counting any mites in the dissolved sugar remains, all bees can then be returned to the hive alive.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

No reason why it should be any less accurate than an alcohol wash or sugar roll.

I can think of a few, but hey, let's not stop feeding the obsession of killing drones. And if you're only killing a few, well that's not going to give a decent sample size anyway.

 

[greenmeaney]

It was 200 drone cells each from 3 hives total 600 only 1 hive had varroa 5 mites from 200 larvae the other two clear 400 cells 0 mites

 

[Erichalfbee]

It was 200 drone cells each from 3 hives total 600 only 1 hive had varroa 5 mites from 200 larvae the other two clear 400 cells 0 mites

Oh well, they didn’t die in vain, then.

 

[B+.]

All hives have mated queens from this year all laying well. so do not need drones for mating and I'm pretty sure that I read that freezing drone comb was a way to control varroa, and alcohol wash of adult bees would be the same for mite load if same numbers used was the same. Is it not abit late to be requeening with virgins except in an emergency?

OK. I was a bit curt with my initial answer but I can see that you mean well, even if your information is faulty.

What you have read about freezing is a test for hygienic behaviour - NOT a varroa control. You have to use liquid nitrogen, which is quite dangerous, or alternatively, a pin test using a #2 stainless steel entomology pin - which is far safer!

You'd be well advised to forget everything you think you know and watch these two videos (1) & (2). You've picked up some odd things along the way so it's important to correct these misunderstandings.

The inspection board is used in early spring to establish a baseline because it's too early to open the colony. Later in the year, you'd do a soapy water wash to establish the growth of the mite population. Neither of these are treatments. They are intended to measure how well the colony copes with varroa.

 

[Goran]

@B+.
Forgive me for off topic, can I place 50 pins ( already bought #2) on ( improvised) holder and with one push make the pin test rather than pin each cell separately? I plan this winter when have more time to make few sets for personal use.. Thanks in advance for your opinion..

 

[Erichalfbee]

@B+.
Forgive me for off topic, can I place 50 pins ( already bought #2) on ( improvised) holder and with one push make the pin test rather than pin each cell separately? I plan this winter when have more time to make few sets for personal use.. Thanks in advance for your opinion..

B+ has left the forum. He’s on Twitter though. You can find him there

 

[Goran]

B+ has left the forum. He’s on Twitter though. You can find him there

Err.. I don't have twitter or any such " social" network, nevermind.. I will give it a try anyway this winter after some reading and further understanding..
Thank You for the info..

 

[Erichalfbee]

Err.. I don't have twitter or any such " social" network, nevermind.. I will give it a try anyway this winter after some reading and further understanding..
Thank You for the info..

Would you like me to get his email for you?

 

[elainemary]

B+ has left the forum. He’s on Twitter though. You can find him there

That’s a real shame, often learnt from his posts
Pls can you share his email with me via a PM? I would like to pick his brains from time to time about genetics

 

[Goran]

Would you like me to get his email for you?

I will appreciate, thanks. I hope he won't be displeased if I write him question on email. I will be short and civil..